The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and its Renwick Gallery invite applications to its premier fellowship program, the oldest and largest in American art. Scholars from any discipline who are researching topics relating to US art, craft, and visual culture are encouraged to apply, as are those who foreground new perspectives, materials, and methodologies. Fellowships are residential and support full-time research. SAAM is devoted to advancing inclusive excellence in the discipline of art history, and therefore encourages candidates who identify as members of historically underrepresented groups to apply.

Resources

Each fellow is provided a carrel in SAAM’s Research and Scholars Center. There, they have access to the museum’s collection of over 45,500 works, specialized study collections and databases, the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art, and an 180,000-volume branch library specializing in American art. The Research and Scholars Center is a short walk from other Smithsonian museums and libraries, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the National Gallery of Art. Regular workshops, seminars, and lectures provide a forum for lively scholarly exchange and professional advancement.

Fellowships Available

Candidates may apply to one or more of the following three opportunities:

  • SAAM and SIFP Fellowships: SAAM hosts fellows through the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP), and also awards a number of named fellowships to graduate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior candidates from this general pool. Deadline: November 1, 2023
  • The Betsy James Wyeth Fellowship in Native American Art: This joint fellowship at SAAM and the National Museum of the American Indian is awarded for a twelve-month term at the predoctoral level or a nine-month term at the postdoctoral or senior level. Deadline: December 1, 2023
  • The Audrey Flack Short-Term Fellowship: One fellowship is awarded at the predoctoral, postdoctoral, or senior level for a one-month term. Deadline: February 1, 2024

For general information, visit AmericanArt.si.edu/fellowships or email SAAMFellowships@si.edu.